Written by: Jude Evans
Published: Monday 30th July 2012

Dave Cohen, at 53 - sporting what I thought was a trendy 'mid life' earring but turns out to be a hearing aid - is once again up from behind his desk and on tour with his latest act, Songs In A Flat.

We caught up in an area of Brighton in which it's the law to have holes in your tights and a bottle of White Lightning in your hand; not forgetting your blade! Dave bounced onto the stage like an excited puppy. You can't help but warm to this chap before he's even opened his mouth. The first song about his love of pork was hilarious (Dave is Jewish... 'Cohen' kind of gives that away).

In 'Songs In A Flat' Dave sings and talks about many subjects, from David Bowie and William Shatner, to The Daily Mail newspaper. I knew I was in for a real treat, as my household are great fans of Horrible Histories, for which Dave is the chief lyric writer. Dave has also written for Not Going Out, My Family and Have I Got News For You... the list goes on for this talented cheeky chappy.

Dave tells me "In my 20s I told jokes and sang songs about being fat, single and Jewish. Now in my 50s I tell jokes and sing songs about being bald, deaf and Jewish." The show was witty, sharp, passionate, and extremely clever, with gag-tastic jokes and lyrics. At numerous points, one man in the audience completely lost control and started to snort-laugh.

Dave is happy with the way things are going too. "Generally it's going very well. The novelty of being back on stage after 20 odd years away hasn't worn off yet. It's a very different feeling performing now compared to when I was in my 20s. Marriage, kids and knowing I can go back to my newer career (as a writer) puts a completely different perspective on it. I'm quite a stern self-critic, and if I felt it was embarrassing or even just a little bit shit I'd stop. But you're right, there's an element of mid-life crisis about. Most blokes my age either get a Porsche or have an affair."

Dave is bringing his show to the Fringe this August and, after Edinburgh, he'll be performing the show in London sometime in October (venue and dates TBA) "and possibly around the UK in early 2013 if I can organise myself."

He's keeping himself busy on other projects too: "I'm currently writing new songs for next year's Horrible Histories, working on scripts for the next series of Not Going Out, and Series 7 of the Radio 4 show 15 Minute Musical, which I co-write with Richie Webb (who composes all the music for Horrible Histories) and the brilliant David Quantick (TV Burp). And I'm writing a new song for my live show about not really being bald."

Does he have any plans for making another live show... perhaps Songs at the O2? "Yeah I'll be invited to play at the O2 quite soon, assuming hell freezing over is fairly imminent. I've got a fantastic idea for a new one-man show that's rattling around in my head at the moment. Which I reckon is at least two years away from public consumption."

To finish, I ask Dave to reveal his favourite joke. "There was a stand-up in the 80s and 90s called Pat Condell who used to write brilliant jokes. I see at least one gag on Twitter every day that Pat had made before the person on Twitter who wrote it had been born. 'I don't believe in re-incarnation - not this time, anyway' is one of my favourites, along with 'Grandad was a card - always face down on the table' and 'People make assumptions about you if they see you holding a bottle of beer ... all the time'."

Dave's Edinburgh show dates are the 4th and 5th August. Listing